Huge Wave Sweeps Pregnant Couple Out to Sea While Taking Photo

A California couple who were engaged and expecting their first child died in a tragic accident earlier this month, when they were swept out to sea by a huge wave while posing for a photo together.

According to KTVU 2 News, Pedro David Guadarrama Ceron, 30, and Emma Nelly Diazleal Lopez, 33, of San Jose had been standing on rocks near West Cliff Drive and David Way in Santa Cruz on July 16 when they were suddenly pulled into the water by large waves. Santa Cruz Fire Department Chief Rob Oatey said that locals refer to the spot as "death rocks" due to the turbulent, unpredictable currents.

First responders located the couple face down in the water, but they were unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene.

Ceron's father told NBC Bay Area that the couple had climbed onto the rock to take pictures when the wave "came out of nowhere." He said that his son had just immigrated to the United States from Mexico four years ago in search of the American dream. The family was heartbroken at learning that Lopez had been pregnant.

Two victims who died last week after being swept into the ocean in Santa Cruz were a couple who lived in San Jose, and they were expecting a child. https://t.co/8WDDSs8XUc pic.twitter.com/u4qxhipSeC

— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) July 24, 2024

David Hill, a deputy harbor master who responded to the scene on his boat, said that swimmers jumped into the ocean and pulled the victims onboard, but emergency responders were unsuccessful in their resuscitation efforts.

"You may have a perfectly calm day where it's not a lot of wind, there's not a lot of chop in the water," Hill told the outlet. "But there could be a swell system that creates a wave every 15 minutes. You may not realize it." 

"Any surface before standing on it, you want to see if it's wet first because if there's water, water splashed on it," he continued, noting that beachgoers should also pay close attention to any blocked off areas or warning signs when visiting the coast.